Notice of Intent to Issue Funding Opportunity Announcement: Extending Industrial Assessment Centers to Underserved Areas

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO), a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Extending Industrial Assessment Centers to Underserved Areas (DE-FOA-0001704).” This FOA supports EERE AMO technical assistance activities. As background, the goal of the Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) program is twofold: first, to assist small and medium-sized manufacturers currently defined as having gross annual sales below $100 million, fewer than 500 employees, and annual energy bills between $100,000 and $2.5 million, to increase their energy efficiency, productivity, sustainability and competitiveness; and second, to help address a growing shortage of energy engineering professionals with applied energy efficiency-related skills. The goal of Extending IACs to Underserved Areas is to encourage a broader and more diverse Applicant pool to serve as Extension IACs, and in so doing, further expand the geographic reach of the IAC program to areas that are less likely to be adequately serviced because of their distance from the 28 IACs that were selected in the summer of 2016. Eligible minority-serving institutions are encouraged to apply as Extension IACs. Please access the complete Notice of Intent on https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/. This NOI is issued so that interested parties are aware of EERE’s intention to issue a FOA in the near term. All of the information contained in this NOI is subject to change. EERE may issue a FOA as described herein, may issue a FOA that is significantly different than the FOA described herein, or DOE may not issue a FOA at all. NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH THIS NOTICE. Please do not submit questions or respond to this NOI. Prospective applicants to the FOA should begin developing partnerships, formulating ideas, and gathering data in anticipation of the issuance of this FOA. It is anticipated that this FOA will be posted to EERE Exchange in January 2017.